We must not tolerate any kind of phobia: US Congressman condemns attacks on Hindu temples

IndianAmerican Congressman Shri Thanedar on Wednesday condemned the recent attacks on Hindu temples in the US saying such incidents should not be toleratedWe should not tolerate any kind of phobia Hindu phobia The religions are about love helping each other and doing good things for each other And these attacks on Hindu templesI strongly condemn them and we must not tolerate that I serve on the Homeland Security Committee and I am speaking with my committee members about helping religious organisations do better ability Provide them the funds and resources they need to protect the religious organisations and help them fight any kind of Hindu phobia any kind of hatred that we see Thanedar saidSpeaking with ANI at the Ramayana across Asia and Beyond event at the US Capitol Hill in Washington DC Thanedar also weighed in on the opening of Ram Mandir on January 22 terming it as historic He added that the construction of temple is a proud moment for every IndianI think it means a lot Its historic and its a pride for every Indian to see that temple built I have seen pictures of it and they are spectacular Through the Ramayana epic we bring people together This is a cultural bond that we have with likeminded people and now we see Ramayana has been appreciated all over the AsiaPacific region with 15 different countries It is practiced and the Ramayana brings it to us Its more than epic It is the value system I grew up in a Hindu family studying Ramayana and singing verses from Ramayana So that is just a second nature to me the Congressman saidThailands ambassador to the US Tanee Sangrat said the opening of Ram Mandir is a delight for the people of many countries and cekebrations are already underway as the event draws near It is the delight of people not only in Thailand but with many countries across Southeast Asia and across Asia Pacific that our common culture is being celebrated and the coming home of the Rama the Thai envoy saidIts an excellent occasion for me to come and share our culture together on the Ramayana which is the great story that we share in the AsiaPacific region It is also an excellent opportunity to exchange our views with the diplomatic core with the members of the community congress and staff about the story that we all know too well about good and evil he addedHinduACTions landmark event Ramayana Across Asia and Beyond at Capitol Hill on Wednesday saw a unique gathering of distinguished diplomats and US lawmakers underscoring the importance of cultural heritage in contemporary geopoliticsThe event was attended by the Ambassadors of Thailand to the US Tanee Sangratand Indias Ambassador to the US along with US Congressmen Jim Baird RIN Max Miller ROH and Shri Thanedar DMI Key embassy staff from Bangladesh and Guyana as well as representatives from the offices of Congressman Gerry Connolly DVA and Congresswoman Sarah Jacobs DCA also marked their presenceThe focal message of the conference was the integration of the Ramayanas teachings in todays governance The esteemed members applauded HinduACTion for their foresight in highlighting the need for a deeper comprehension of the IndoPacific regions civilizational qualities and values This insight is instrumental for American policymakers to develop nuanced relationships with the 16 nations in the regionThink tank members from Sri Lanka also contributed their perspectives on the necessity of reinforced Indian cooperation in the Indian Ocean anchored in shared historical values and ideals In a poignant address the Thai Ambassador spoke of the Ramayanas eternal influence on Thai society and its philosophical significance Similarly the Indian Ambassador emphasised the Ramayanas role in fostering morally sound geopolitical practicesA cultural dance performance of the Ramayana beautifully complemented the backdrop of exhibition panels illustrating the epics interpretation across various IndoPacific nations A significant highlight was the participation of members of the Afghan Hazara community who shared their experiences in safeguarding Buddhist and Hindu monuments in Afghanistan from the TalibanIn a gesture of cultural appreciation each dignitary was honoured with a Tibetan shawl by HinduACTion symbolising the events spirit of unity and respect for diverse traditions HinduACTion is a nonprofit organization based in Washington DC dedicated to empowering American pluralism by integrating STEM meditation and yoga with Hindu civilizational wisdom for inclusive policies media accuracy and community engagementThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever